The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has outlined a phased approach to implementing revised duty and rest hour norms for pilots, starting from July 1, as informed to the Delhi High Court. The announcement was made by Justice Tara Vitasta Ganju during a hearing regarding pilot fatigue and regulatory adjustments aimed at enhancing flight safety.
The new regulations, which focus on more stringent control of flight duty time limitations (FDTL), were initially slated to start on June 1, 2024, but will now see a staggered rollout. The bulk of these changes will be implemented by July 1, 2025, with the remainder following on November 1, 2025. The adjustments include ensuring that pilots do not work more than 168 hours between the end of one weekly rest period and the start of the next.
This decision came after extensive consultations involving representatives from airlines, pilot groups, and the civil aviation ministry, as detailed in an affidavit submitted by DGCA. Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, representing DGCA, highlighted that these discussions had led to substantial progress in formulating the Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) 2024.
Key changes under the revised norms include increasing the mandatory weekly rest period for pilots from 36 to 48 hours, ensuring these hours include two local nights, and setting limits on the maximum flight time and duty period for night operations to eight and ten hours, respectively. Additionally, the number of permissible landings at night will be reduced from six to two.
The legal push for these changes was driven by pleas from various pilot associations, including the Indian Commercial Pilots Association, the Indian Pilots Guild, and the Federation of Indian Pilots. These groups had previously expressed that while CAR 2024 was acceptable in principle, it needed certain adjustments to fully address pilot grievances concerning fatigue.
